Friday, April 17, 2009

Lincoln's Death Memorialized

There's a wonderful digital display on the NYTimes website today of an anonymous diary made by a New Yorker the day following Lincoln's assassination. The diarist walked the streets and drew the impromptu displays that shopkeepers and others had put up in their storefronts, creating a snapshot of mourning. The diary is now in the Charles Woodberry McClellan collection of Lincolniana at the John Hay Library, Brown University. Ted Widmer, the head of the John Carter Brown Library, has provided very useful annotations to the pages displayed.

A spectacular document, and thanks to all those reponsible for sharing it widely. What a treasure.

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About Me

Reviews of books old and new; news and commentary on book history, library culture, digital humanities, archives and related subjects. Written by Jeremy Dibbell, a bibliophile, haunter of used bookstores, and Director of Communications and Outreach for Rare Book School. Email: philobiblos@gmail.com.